AL East stretch run: Saying goodbye (early) to Yankee Stadium

This certainly isn't the way the Yankees wanted to see off their beloved final ballpark, as a cherished streak that appears to be coming to an end.

The Boston Red Sox, in their final visit to the venerable Yankee Stadium this week, won the first game of their series 7-3, with Tim Wakefield beating Andy Pettitte. Pettitte called this series a must-win, and he couldn't come through Tuesday. He didn't get much help from Alex Rodriguez, who went 0 for 5 with two double plays, two strikeouts and a throwing error.

Pettitte backtracked from his "must-win" comment a bit after Tuesday's loss, but the sentiment remains. “We need to win them, that’s all there is to it, but if we don’t, what am I going to do? Am I going to quit?” Pettitte told the New York Times. “We’ve got to play the games. Until we’re mathematically eliminated, I don’t think anything’s over. So for people to say ‘must-win,’ it’s not a must-win. The season’s not over if we don’t win this series.”

But if the Red Sox sweep, it might as well be. The Yankees (payroll $209.1 million) are 9.5 games behind Tampa Bay (payroll: $43.8 million) and six back of second-place Boston ($133.4 million). The Yankees also are third in the wild-card race, behind the Twins ($62.1 million) as well. So they'll need to get hot and hope that two other teams collapse.

Yankee fans certainly envisioned at least another playoff series or two in the House that Ruth Built, but their 13-year playoff run is on a death watch.

However, Yankee fans will revel in the fact that even with their win Tuesday, the Red Sox improved to 284-483 all-time at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox played in the first game at Yankee Stadium - it's too bad the schedule-makers couldn't make them the last (that will be Baltimore, on Sept. 21).

On to the AL East race. All this week, we're taking a look at each of the six division races and handicapping them for the stretch run:

• Why the Rays will win: They've avoided slumps and held off all challenges, Evan Longoria should be back next week (Carl Crawford won't) and they have a 3.5-game lead. They have solid young starters that aren't fading under the pressure. And the Red Sox just aren't as good as last year, especially if Josh Beckett's arm troubles continue.
• Why the Red Sox will win: The Rays are great at home, but the schedule is brutal. After this weekend, their home series are against the Yankees, Red Sox and Twins. The Red Sox's schedule is a heck of a lot easier and have the last seven at home, all probably against teams already eliminated (Cleveland and, ahem, the Yankees).
• Key series: Sept. 8-10, Tampa Bay at Boston; Sept. 15-17, Boston at Tampa Bay.
• Pick to win it: Red Sox. Sorry, Tampa, but I think you'll still get the wild card.

Tomorrow: NL Central.